Union garment



J. M. ATKINSON.

UNION GARMENT. APPLICATION FILED AFR.2. 1919.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

WWW woo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JOSEPH M. ATKINSON, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR 'ro OPPENHEIM, OBERNDORF & 00., mo, OFYBALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

UNION GARMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. ATKINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore,'in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Union Garments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in union garments and is directed more particularlyto a garment for girls although features of the invention may readily be embodied in a garment for boys.

In garments of this character it is the prevailing practice to provide tabs or other means on the garment to which straps or elastic stocking supports may be connected so that the stockings maybe sustained from the garment, and it frequently happens that the strains on these supports are so great as to cause a break or giving-away in the supporting structure, more frequently at the tab and sometimes tearing the garment or the stocking. 1

One object therefore of the present invention is to provide an improved combination of means whereby to provide an elasticity at or adjacent to the tabs or other supporting means on the garment whereby the strains produced by supporting the stockings may be taken up without damage to the garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a union garment having a drop seat and fastening means to secure the seat in the closed position, with an improved arrangement of elastic means whereby the strains applied vertically on the seat and rear portion of the back and the fastening devices will be materially relieved and greater comfort and freedom thereby result to the wearer.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,-

Fig. 1, shows the garmentin front elevation.

Fig. 2, illustrates the same in rear elevation.

Fig. 3, shows a' detailed view of a portion of the rear of the garment with the seat flap down and shows the improved means applied thereto, and

Fig. 4, illustrates a vertical sectional detail through the rear body part of the gar:

ment as the same would appear if out on" the line 4-4 Of Fig. 3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

pplication filed April 2,

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

1919. Serial No. 286,857.

Referring to the drawing by numerals 5 and 6 designate the front parts of the garment which in this instance are shown as extending from the neck down to the lower edge of the legs and are united at the center of the front by a placket 7 which extends from the neck to the crotch 8.

At the rear, the garment has an upper body part 9, and a lower leg-part 10, which latter has formed integrally therewith a drop seat flap 11.

The rear leg part 10 and the front parts 5 and 6, are united through the crotch to permanently close the latter,an inseam 12, serving to effect this union.

At the sides, the garment is provided with side seams 13, which extend from the lower ends of the legs upwardly for a short distance to unite the lower leg-part with the front parts.

The rear leg part 10, has its upper edge free to form a flap 11, which latter has a band 14, across its upper edge that is provided, in this instance with a plurality of button-holes 15. v

The width of flap 11, at the point lengthwise of the band 14, is less than the width of the two front parts 5-and 6' as can be seen in the rear view of Fig. 2.

A strip of elastic webbing 16, extends in a direction crosswise of the upper body part 9. of the garment back and has its upper edge stitched to thelower edge 17, of said body part. This elastic strip has its ends secured in side seams 18, that extend from the arm-holes 19, of the garment down to the lower edge 20, of the elastic strip.

To the lower or bottom edge of the crosswise elastic strip 16,1 secure a'depending flap of non-elastic material 21, which latter hangs pe'ndantly. The upperedge of this flap is a fold 22. and the material 23, which forms this fold is turned down on the inside of the flap and forms a double-thick crosswise reinforcement the fold-edge of which is stitched to ,the lower edge of the elastic strip, as best seenin Fig. 4, of the drawing.

This construction is very desirable because it forms a reinforced double-thick horizontal stretch-of non-elastic material immediately below the elastic strip and pro- .vides a strong foundation across the rear of the garmentto which the buttons 24, may be secured.

Near each end of the reinforced doublesecuring means for the upper ends of elastic garter straps which latter usually extend up through the garment and have safety pins on their upper ends for attachment to the tabs. By securing these tabs as I do the strain on them is taken up, partly by the elastic strip 16 and also by the side edges of the front parts 5 and 6. a

When the garment is in use, and the dropseat flap 11, is buttoned, any vertical strains 7 that are applied to the seat part of the garment are. placed on the depending flap 21, and transferred by the latter to the elastic crosswise strip 16. r

In a similar manner strains on the tabs 25, .will be transferred to the depending flap.

It will be noted that the. fastening devices are secured to the double-thick portion of the depending flap and ample material is thus provided for the securing threads or other means that may be. em-- ployed to attach these fastenings in place. The depending flap 21, also serves to cover any gaps that might be made at the edge of the seat flap when the wearer of the garment stoops or bends and causes unusual strains to be placed on the fastening devices. I

Having described my invention, I claim;-

which extends uninterruptedly from the neck 40 A union undergarment having a front tothe crotch and provided with a rear upper body part and a rear drop-seat lower part with two opposite free ends, a cross strip of elastic material having its opposite ends secured to the opposite side'edges of the front and also secured along the lower edge of the upper body-part, a flap secured to and depending from the lower edge of the elastic material and of less width than the up.- per edge of the drop-seat and said flap being covered by the drop seat, and tabs'below the two ends of the elastic strip andsecured. to the fiap between the latter and the free ends or corners of the drop seat.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. a

JOSEPH M. ATKINSON. 

